STTN and supply (moved from 'Allowing baby to STTN?')

I'd been wondering the same thing. I'm getting my 4 week old back into EBF after a rough patch (lots of nipple pain, baby is a sleepy feeder and was not gaining weight well) and have been bringing him into our bed at around 6-7am when he'd wake for the first "real" daytime feed. This would normally give me 30-60 mins extra snooze time as he'd nod off as soon as he got close to me and stop asking to be fed. I decided this was a bad idea as I was in danger of letting him sleep through the feed time (one day we slept up until 10am - I sorely needed the sleep, but that was too long a break without feeding or expressing).

I got a bedside crib last week and for the last 2 nights have had an unplanned change of schedule. I've been going to sleep around 10pm, husband brings baby to bed around 1am when he awakes for a feed: as I'm BF now this feed takes longer than the formula feed used to, so I'm awake with him until about 2.30am. I've then expressed from the breast he didn't feed from while he sleeps. He goes into the crib and wakes me around 6am with early hunger signs. I bring him into bed and we have been sleeping in until 7am. This means c.5 hours with no feed, nice sleep for me...but is this a bad idea for keeping up my supply? I'm telling myself he can't be hungry or he would let me know!

Re: Allowing baby to STTN?

Originally Posted by @llli*dylan.james

I'd been wondering the same thing. I'm getting my 4 week old back into EBF after a rough patch (lots of nipple pain, baby is a sleepy feeder and was not gaining weight well) and have been bringing him into our bed at around 6-7am when he'd wake for the first "real" daytime feed. This would normally give me 30-60 mins extra snooze time as he'd nod off as soon as he got close to me and stop asking to be fed. I decided this was a bad idea as I was in danger of letting him sleep through the feed time (one day we slept up until 10am - I sorely needed the sleep, but that was too long a break without feeding or expressing).

I got a bedside crib last week and for the last 2 nights have had an unplanned change of schedule. I've been going to sleep around 10pm, husband brings baby to bed around 1am when he awakes for a feed: as I'm BF now this feed takes longer than the formula feed used to, so I'm awake with him until about 2.30am. I've then expressed from the breast he didn't feed from while he sleeps. He goes into the crib and wakes me around 6am with early hunger signs. I bring him into bed and we have been sleeping in until 7am. This means c.5 hours with no feed, nice sleep for me...but is this a bad idea for keeping up my supply? I'm telling myself he can't be hungry or he would let me know!

Hi and welcome to the forum. Of course your situation is different from ops, as you have had/are having nursing difficulties, are getting baby back to EBF after needing to supplement, and your baby is much, much younger. My above response is to op and for long sleep stretches post 6 weeks of age or so in general. It would probably be helpful if we knew what your specific nursing issues have been. Also what do you mean be a 'scedule'- at this age, the typical recomnedation is for baby to be nursed on cue, as long as it is AT LEAST 10-12 times per 24 hour day.

Re: Allowing baby to STTN?

Hi lllmeg

Here is the info you asked about. Our nursing issues in the first couple of weeks were mainly due to a TT which had not been noticed by the midwives or pediatrician at the hospital even though we were there for 4 days (I had a c-section). He had lost nearly 10% of his birthweight by day 5 and was slightly jaundiced (so sleepy and not feeding well), so we were readmitted for treatment, which basically meant the nurses gave him formula every 3 hours if i couldn't BF to that schedule or express enough for each feed *:-/*

While there I had asked for help with our latch. I didn't get much advice but our BF went quite well while there so I felt more positive. When we got home things got worse as he couldn't seem to stay latched and it was painful every time,so I contacted an IBCLC who found and treated the TT.

As for the "schedule" I was referring to my sleep patterns rather than feeding. LO is fed on demand but I've started going to bed earlier and leaving LO with my husband to give the last feed of the day, which is either EBM or formula. Problem is, once they come to bed I've been awake until the next feed *(2.30-3am) and then LO and I have been sleeping through for 5-ish hours. Previously he'd wake me again around 5.*

Re: Allowing baby to STTN?

Originally Posted by @llli*dylan.james

Hi lllmeg

Here is the info you asked about. Our nursing issues in the first couple of weeks were mainly due to a TT which had not been noticed by the midwives or pediatrician at the hospital. He had lost nearly 10% of his birthweight by day 5 and was slightly jaundiced, so we were readmitted for treatment, which basically meant the nurses gave him formula every 3 hours if i couldn't BF to hat schedule or express enough for each feed :-/

While there I had asked for help with our latch and keeping him on the breast as he was a sleepy feeder. I didn't get much advice but our BF went quite well while there so I felt more positive. When we got home it declined rapidly so I contacted an IBCLC who found and treated the TT.

OK, amazing you are ebf now then after such a rough start! So if baby is gaining well exclusively breastfeeding now, nursing is comfortable for you, and baby nurses 10-12 times per 24 hour day, then a single daily sleep (no nursing) stretch of up to about 5 hours a day is probably fine as long as it is happening naturally.

I think I am over complicating something that is really very simple and I am very sorry about that. Bottom line, early on, breastfeeding seems to go better overall when baby nurses a MINIMUM of 10-12 times a day in the early weeks-say, until 6 to 8 weeks at least, and longer than that for many babies. Frequent nursing on baby's request plus whenever mom feels like it helps get breastfeeding off to a great start for many reasons, even beyond questions of weight gain and milk production-Frequent nursing also helps lessen the adverse effects of a poor latch and forceful letdown, for example. In fact there is not a single common breastfeeding 'problem' I know of that is not made at least slightly better by more frequent nursing.

That kind of frequency may help assure baby gets enough and that milk supply gets off to a great start even when there are issues, such as with milk transfer etc. It also helps assure that milk supply regulates (gets where it needs to be rather than too much or too little) more quickly. But as long as baby is nursing frequently overall, and gaining well, then the single longer stretch each day is totally fine. That is why at LLL it is suggested that babies "nurse at least 10-12 times in 24 hours” and not "nurse every two hours." There is a difference. Most babies prefer to cluster feed rather than nurse every such and such hours.

Re: Allowing baby to STTN?

I also wouldn't allow the feeding your husband does for you be formula. Because that will throw off your next que. It is harder on their system and takes longer to digest. Which may be why the baby isn't waking you up at the same time every night. If you are going to miss a feeding, the best way to do that is to supplement with your own milk. You will still miss a que but it will only be ONE que instead of TWO. Which is what happens with the formula supplements.